The David Foster Wallace Reader (Compact Disc)

Staff Reviews

What would David Foster Wallace’s legacy have become if depression hadn’t taken him from the literary world in 2008? It’s one of those impossible questions, of course, but leafing through THE DAVID FOSTER WALLACE READER, you get a full sense of not only the magnitude of his absence, but also the breadth of work he left behind.

People often paint Wallace as a forbidding brainiac—crafter of footnotes and dense sentences—but this new compendium reminds you how limber he was, skilled with different forms and tones. Here, you’ll find the exuberant comedy of THE BROOM OF THE SYSTEM, the anger of BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN, the sad humanity of OBLIVION. Then, of course, you’ll find the nonfiction: classic essays about state fairs and cruise ships, but also never-before-published syllabi from Wallace’s decades of teaching.

Finally, there’s the mind-boggling centerpiece of his career, INFINITE JEST, a novel of astonishing range and tonal complexity, of which THE DAVID FOSTER WALLACE READER presents excerpts. Have you read it already? Relive the experience with these selections. Haven’t tackled it yet? Let these snapshots of Wallace’s masterpiece act as a primer, and let this collection as a whole acquaint you—or reacquaint you—with the work of America’s most important contemporary author.

— Ben

Description

A selection of David Foster Wallace's life's work, introducing readers to his remarkable humor, kindness, sweeping intellect, and versatility as a writer.

"The David Foster Wallace Reader" is a compilation from one of the most original writers of our age, featuring selections of his brilliant fiction and nonfiction. For new readers, this is an accessible introduction to the pleasures of reading Wallace; for fans, a must-have best-of; and for teachers, an invaluable tool.

Astounding chapters from the novels "The Broom of the System," " Infinite Jest," and "The Pale King" are here, along with legendary stories including The Depressed Person, Good Old Neon, and his previously uncollected first story. This collection also features Wallace's essays delving into luxury ( A Supposedly Fun Thing I ll Never Do Again ), morality ( Consider the Lobster ), sports ( Roger Federer Both Flesh and Not ), literature, and the deep paradoxes of American life, plus reading lists from his life as a teacher.